Country Name
Liechtenstein, or officially the Principality of Liechtenstein.
Location
Liechtenstein is a microstate situated in the Alps and in the southwest of Central Europe. Liechtenstein is bordered by Switzerland to the west and south and Austria to the east and north.
Capital
Vaduz.
Reason for Naming
On 23 January 1719, after the lands had been purchased, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, announced that Vaduz and Schellenberg were united and elevated the newly formed territory to the dignity of Fürstentum (principality) with the name "Liechtenstein" in honor of "his true servant, Anton Florian of Liechtenstein".
Flag
The flag was given official status in the constitution of October 1921, the flag was adopted on June 30, 1982.
The flag consists of two horizontal stripes of equal size, the upper stripe is
blue and the bottom one is red.
In the left part of the blue bar, the motif of a golden prince crown is located.
The crown was added in 1937 in order not to be confused with the former
flag of Haiti at Berlin´s Olympic Games. The colors and symbols of the flag carry cultural, political, and regional meanings. The blue represents the sky, and the red represents the evening fires that are lit inside houses throughout the country.
The golden crown represents the unity of the people and their prince.
*Flag Facts:
- The flag of Liechtenstein is similar to the flag of Haiti, Both flags are composed of bicolored flags that featured two equal-sized horizontal bands of red and blue colors at the bottom and top respectively. Haiti's Flag has a coat of arms at the center while the flag of Liechtenstein is charged with a gold crown in the canton.
Language
The official language is German; most speak an Alemannic dialect of German that is highly different from Standard German but closely related to dialects spoken in nearby regions such as Switzerland and Vorarlberg, Austria.
In Triesenberg, a Walser German dialect promoted by the municipality is spoken. Swiss Standard German is also understood and spoken by most Liechtensteiners.
English is used to a lesser extent. It serves as the main language for giving instructions to higher education students. Consequently, English has thrived a lot in Liechtenstein to become the most popular second language. However, German is mainly used as the primary language of instruction in educational institutions at the primary and secondary levels.
Religion
According to the Constitution of Liechtenstein, Catholicism is its official state religion, Liechtenstein offers protection to adherents of all religions and considers the "religious interests of the people" a priority of the government. 9.6% are either Protestant, mainly organized in the Evangelical Church in Liechtenstein (a United church, Lutheran & Reformed) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Liechtenstein, or Orthodox, organized primarily in the Christian-Orthodox Church.
The largest minority religion is Islam (5.4% of the total population).
Currency
Swiss franc (CHF).
Time Zone
+02:00 GMT. (Summer Time)
+01:00 GMT.
Government Regime
Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy.
Climate
The climate in Liechtenstein is continental at low altitudes, while it's Alpine in the mountains.
In winter, cloudy and dull days are frequent from December to February, accompanied by rain or snow, typically light but continuous.
During summer, from June to August, in periods of good weather, there can be hot temperatures in the valley, which can be interrupted by thunderstorms, sometimes intense, in the afternoon or evening.
The best time to visit Liechtenstein runs from mid-May to late September, when the weather is mild or pleasantly warm during the day, but cool at night in the valley and even cold in the mountains; however, there can be some cool and rainy days, and afternoon thunderstorms are frequent, especially in the mountains.
International Phone Code
+423
Internet Code
.li
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